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Natsu set his narrowed eyes on Voldemort. His teeth ground together. "Where are they?" a growl leaked into his tone, causing a shiver to crawl up Harry's spine.
Harry rolled his shoulders and turned his attention to the dark lord. The snake-faced man wore a smirk. The younger wizard's eye twitched.
"I turned that deck of cards into a portkey. So, they should be in Tartaros' dungeon right now. Or perhaps, in a lava pit." Voldemort tapped his chin with his finger as he spoke.
Natsu growled, hands lighting up with flames. He took a step, but Harry shot his hand out and grabbed him. "Don't, he's trying to provoke you."
Voldemort chuckled. "But am I? After all, those guildmates of yours are of no value."
Natsu roared and used his fire to blast forward. Harry stumbled back with a hiss as his skin sizzled. He squeezed his wrist, glancing at his hand. It was an angry red, and the skin began to tighten. He pulled out his wand and waved it over his injured hand. A soothing, water-like sensation washed over the damaged flesh, chasing the redness and pain away.
A sigh escaped his lips and his shoulders relaxed. Harry inspected his hand, flexing his digits. 'Good as new.'
An explosion shook the ground, making Harry lose his balance. He caught himself, blinked, and glanced at the fighting outside the ruined guild. Natsu twisted his body around a bolt of sickening green light. While still in the air, the dragon slayer released a fire stream.
{I thought Tartaros wanted Natsu captured, not killed,} said Fawkes.
Harry jumped and snapped his head around, scanning for his familiar. {Where have you been?}
A weight landed on his head. {I was placed inside a card and sent to Tartaros with the others. Those idiots didn't know I could flash, so I was left unchained.}
Harry rubbed his face and groaned. He took a deep breath and said, "You know what? I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. With you here, Natsu and I can rescue everyone."
Fawkes shifted on his head. {I'm not so sure about that. Tartaros has an army and pawns. They will throw those at you first to wear you down before they attack you themselves.}
Harry groaned again in his hands, bowing his head. Fawkes squawked, flapping his wings and gripping on Harry's hair. His claws scraped his scalp, but Harry ignored the warm feeling that soon followed. The phoenix jumped off and perched on the young man's shoulder instead.
Harry dragged his head away from his palms, gazing at the fight ahead. 'Does Tartaros not know about Natsu being END?' he thought.
He shook his head, picturing a box and shoving his thoughts into it. 'Now's not the time. Natsu is slowing down out there.'
Harry pointed his wand at Voldemort and Natsu. "Incendeo," he said as a jet of fire swooshed forward, slamming the ground between the two fighters. Dust and debris flooded the air with silence following like a shadow.
Harry narrowed his eyes. The smoke flowed in a gentle dance. "Where are they?" he asked.
A pale hand slashed through the dust. Harry gripped his wand, body tense as he waited for an attack. He pulled his wand arm back, a spell on his tongue.
Voldemort came into view. His blood-red eyes glared at Harry. "It seems you forgot that wizard duels are fought one on one," he said. Harry rolled his eyes in reply. "I haven't killed Natsu Dragneel yet, so as his second, you will wait your turn. Don't worry, Harry Potter. I will kill you when it's time."
The young wizard gritted his teeth and lifted his wand above his head.
"Don't interfere, Harry!" Natsu shot out of the remaining smoke, a fire covering his fist. "This guy kidnapped everyone in Fairy Tail and hurt you enough. I'm going to pummel him and make him pay for hurting my friends." Natsu's attack met Voldemort's face, sending the snake-like man to soar through the air and crash into rubble.
Harry winced when a crack filled the air. 'Was that wood or one of Voldemort's bones?'
{I hope it was bones,} Fawkes said with puffed feathers and sparkling eyes.
Natsu sucked in a breath and cupped his mouth. "Fire Dragon's… ROAR!" A powerful plum of fire shot like a bullet at where Voldemort landed. A crack sounded from behind Natsu. Harry's eyes pinned onto Voldemort as the dark lord pointed his glowing wand at the dragon slayer. The wizard's eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat.
'The killing curse.' Harry attempted to move his arm, but it felt like lead. Everything looked to be moving in slow motion. His heart pounded in his ears, his vision darkening. He heaved in breaths as the green glow lit the surrounding area.
{ry…arry…HARRY!} Harry blinked, watching the world clear and sharpen. The sounds pound into his ears like a jackhammer. The dark-haired wizard pressed a hand over his ear.
{Harry, Natsu is about to be killed. Do something!} Harry choked and whipped his wand forward. "Death Shield!" The Deathly Hallow symbol formed between Natsu and Voldemort, blocking the green beam.
Voldemort's eyes widened, and Natsu grinned. "Fire Dragon's Claw." Natsu swung his leg out and caught the dark lord in the side. The dragon slayer rushed at the man again, pulling his arm back. Harry gripped his wand, keeping his eyes on Voldemort. If the man tried to move to kill Natsu again… Harry took a deep breath, rubbing his trembling hands.
"Enough," a voice echoed and a young man with long black hair appeared. He caught Natsu's fist with his bare hand.
Natsu's eyes widened, not that Harry could blame him. 'Where did this guy come from? Is he from Tartaros?' He flicked his gaze to Voldemort, who stared at the new arrival with sharp, narrowed eyes. His jaw tightened, and his fingers whitened around his yew wand.
"I thought you came here to capture Natsu," said the black-haired demon. "So why didn't you just knock him out? It looked like you were trying to kill him."
{Oh, now everything makes sense,} said Fawkes.
Harry thought about what the new guy said. 'So, Tartaros does want to capture Natsu because they know who he is. Voldemort wants to kill him because he wants control. But Natsu being END threatens that position.'
Voldemort relaxed his jaw, but his shoulders were still tense. "I was merely testing his strength, Mard Geer," he said.
Natsu bared his teeth. "That's a lie! You were firing killing curses at me."
The hand Mard Geer used to hold a book twitched. On the red, leather-bound cover read END.
The demon ignored Voldemort and turned to Natsu and Harry. "You two should join us at Tartaros if you wish to see your friends again." His small smirk widened. "But be warned: I can't guarantee they will be in one piece when you find them."
Harry's heart squeezed. He narrowed his eyes as a feral growl escaped his throat. He gripped his wand, muscles flexing.
"Oh yeah, one more thing."
Harry's eyebrow twitched. 'What does he want now?'
"Harry Potter." Harry pulled back, eyes the size of baseballs. "My comrade, Keyes, wishes to meet you. So do come, or else he will be disappointed," Mard Geer said before he grabbed Voldemort. The two vanished, the sound of cracking whips filling the still air.
TBC
We didn't see much of a fight, but we all know Natsu is not meant to fight Voldemort. But seeing him beat him up was fun. :)
Voldy: *grumble, grumble* XC
Natsu: Someone's not happy. Couldn't take the heat? :)
Voldy: *death glare*
Zeref: You were kicking his butt for a moment there. It's not too surprising.
Harry: It would be shocking if Natsu appeared to lose.
Enj/Dark: He almost got hit a few times, though.
Zeref: I don't think the killing curse would have killed him. You need to destroy the *muffle!* O.O
Enj/Dark: We can't let Voldemort know how to kill Natsu.
Natsu: Not like he would get to it. He would have to get past Mard Geer. The guy would kill him in seconds.
Voldy: So I need to destroy that book he keeps with him? I can get it.
Harry: Not really. You might know what to do, but the story version of you doesn't.
Zeref: That's true. But we need to end this now. Please review!
Natsu: Did he make a pun?
Enj/Dark: It wasn't intentional.
